By C.M. Paul
Pakyong, Feb. 11, 2017: The first Salesian priest from Nepal, Jhapa Ajrundhara was ordained on February 11.
Bishop Stephen Lepcha of Darjeeling-Sikkim ordained Stephen Biswakarma at a solemn ceremony at Christ the King Church Pakyong, East Sikkim district.
More than 40 priests including 22 Salesians from Kolkata, Siliguri, Mirik, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Sikkim and Nepal, joined two bishops and some 500 local Catholics for the ordination of the first priest from the first Catholic parish established in Sikkim in 1952.
The ceremonies ended the season of priestly ordinations of the Salesians of Don Bosco in South Asia. The new priest became the 61st deacon to be ordained by Bishop Lepcha.
“Fr Biswakarma son Jamansingh Biswakarma, is the first alumnus of 65-year-old St Xavier’s School, the first Catholic school established in Sikkim, to be ordained priest,” said Principal Fr Francis Banerjee.
Fr Banerjee did not hesitate to add that “over the years several boys from the school had joined various seminaries, but no one persevered and got ordained as Fr Biswakarma did.”
Bishop Lepcha reminded the faithful and the newly ordained priest that “there is no priesthood without Holy Eucharist.”
Bishop Lepcha told the faithful that “lay people may do mighty proclamation of the Word of God, can do far greater social works, and could be far more holy than a priest, but priest is need for the Holy Eucharist.”
The prelate explaining further the power of the Holy Eucharist said, “Satan cannot stand the Eucharist and he constantly tempts priests not to offer Eucharist.”
“Hence, the faithful need to pray for priests continually,” he said and reminded the congregation the words of St John Bosco, “A priest is the greatest gift God can give to a family.”
He also encouraged 33-year=old Fr Biswakarma and participating priests “to feed the faithful with the Word of God, just as parents feed children with food.”
Since he joined the Salesians in 1998 as a candidate, Fr. Biswakarma lost, mother on 20th June 2008. The ordination ceremony witnessed several emotionally charged moments.
The first instance occurred when Deacon Biswakarma read the Gospel text where Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist. Biswakarma choked and took time to complete reading the text.
Speaking to Matters India Biswakarma said, “I get emotional whenever I read this text which is also my ordination motto: “When Broken becomes whole,” “This is my Body given for you.”
The third moment which brought tears to his eyes was at the end of the Mass when he took names and thanked various people who journeyed with him during the long journey to priesthood.
Among the many people present at the event were his former principal at Pakyong school and current Apostolic Administrator of Kathmandu Bishop Paul Simick, former salesian provincial Fr John Berger and Vice-Provincial of Kolkata Dr Joseph Pauria.
According to the official statistics reported for this formation cycle 2016-2017 in the Rome-based Salesian News Agency, a total of 61 priestly ordinations were celebrated in 10 of 11 Indian provinces and the vice-province of Sri Lanka. Only Dimapur province in northeastern India had no new priests.
The tally of priestly ordinations remains as follows: Mumbai (5); Calcutta (6); Guwahati (3); Hyderabad (4); Bangalore (9); Chennai (9); New Delhi (6); Panjim (2); Shillong (5); Trichy (9); and Colombo (3).